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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Zara Larsen

    Senior Faculty Member and Leadership Development Expert

    Best Practice Institute

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.Developed BPI's proprietary 'Culture Catalyst Framework' to help cultivate inclusive and dynamic workplaces.
    • 2.Holds an MBA in Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School and a BA in Psychology from Stanford University.
    • 3.Has prior experience at Deloitte as Director of Organizational Development and at Google as an Organizational Effectiveness Consultant.
    • 4.Awarded the BPI Faculty Excellence Award (2024) and the ICF Global Coaching Award for Innovation (2023).
    • 5.Researches and speaks on topics including hybrid leadership, psychological safety, and DEI initiatives.

    About Zara

    Who is Zara Larsen?

    Zara Larsen is a distinguished Senior Faculty Member and Leadership Development Expert at the Best Practice Institute (BPI). She is recognized for her extensive experience in accelerating execution through strategic talent placement and fostering high-performing organizational cultures. With a career spanning over 15 years in leadership consulting, Zara specializes in equipping leaders and organizations with the tools and insights needed to navigate complex challenges and achieve sustainable growth.

    What is Zara Larsen known for?

    Zara Larsen is widely known for her expertise in leadership development, organizational culture transformation, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and change management. She developed BPI's "Culture Catalyst Framework," a proprietary model that has been implemented in over 500 corporate programs to cultivate inclusive and dynamic workplaces. Her pioneering work extends to hybrid leadership training models, where she emphasizes the critical importance of psychological safety and effective remote team dynamics in the post-COVID era. Zara has been honored with the BPI Faculty Excellence Award in 2024 and the ICF Global Coaching Award for Innovation in 2023, acknowledging her impactful contributions to the field.

    What is Zara Larsen's background and experience?

    Zara Larsen holds an MBA in Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School, earned in 2008, and a BA in Psychology from Stanford University, completed in 2005. Her professional journey includes significant roles such as Director of Organizational Development at Deloitte from 2015 to 2020, and an Organizational Effectiveness Consultant at Google from 2012 to 2015. She is a Certified Executive Coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF) since 2012 and a Prosci Change Management Practitioner since 2015. Throughout her career, Zara has consulted for notable companies including Google, Deloitte, Salesforce, Microsoft, and Unilever, focusing on culture audits and bespoke leadership programs. Her research contributions include a peer-reviewed paper titled "Psychological Safety and Innovation in Tech Firms," published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior in 2023, which has been cited over 150 times.

    What topics does Zara Larsen speak and write about?

    Zara Larsen is a prominent voice in discussions around modern leadership and organizational effectiveness. She frequently speaks on topics such as building resilient cultures in hybrid work environments, the nuances of DEI initiatives, and leadership challenges in the age of artificial intelligence. In 2025, she delivered a keynote address at the SHRM Annual Conference on "Building Resilient Cultures in Hybrid Work." Her written contributions include articles in the Harvard Business Review, such as "Leadership in the AI Era" (2024), and chapters in books like The Future of Leadership (Wiley, 2024). She has also shared her insights as a guest on popular podcasts, including "The Modern Manager" and "WorkLife with Adam Grant."

    How does Zara Larsen contribute to the Best Practice Institute?

    As a Senior Faculty Member and Leadership Development Expert since 2020, Zara Larsen plays a pivotal role in BPI's mission to advance leadership and organizational excellence. She designs and delivers virtual and in-person programs focused on leadership and culture, helping organizations build change capacity. Her "Culture Catalyst Framework" is a cornerstone of BPI's offerings, guiding numerous corporate programs. Zara's dedication to advancing the field is evident in her continuous development of innovative leadership training models, her impactful research, and her consistent recognition as a leading expert in her domain.

    Background & Perspective

    Background

    Zara Larsen brings over 15 years of leadership consulting experience to her role as Senior Faculty Member at the Best Practice Institute. She holds an MBA in Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School and a BA in Psychology from Stanford University. Her prior experience includes serving as Director of Organizational Development at Deloitte and as an Organizational Effectiveness Consultant at Google. She is a Certified Executive Coach through the International Coach Federation (ICF) and a Prosci Change Management Practitioner.

    Areas of Expertise

    Zara Larsen specializes in equipping leaders to navigate complex challenges. Her work focuses on leadership development, organizational culture transformation, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and change management. At BPI, she developed the "Culture Catalyst Framework," a proprietary model implemented in over 500 corporate programs. Her expertise also extends to hybrid leadership training models, where she emphasizes psychological safety and effective remote team dynamics.

    Speaking and Publications

    Zara Larsen is a frequent speaker and writer on modern leadership. She has delivered keynotes at major conferences like the SHRM Annual Conference and has been featured on podcasts such as "The Modern Manager" and "WorkLife with Adam Grant." Her written contributions include articles in the Harvard Business Review and a chapter in the book The Future of Leadership (Wiley, 2024). She also authored the peer-reviewed paper "Psychological Safety and Innovation in Tech Firms" in the Journal of Organizational Behavior.

    Areas of Expertise

    Leadership DevelopmentOrganizational Culture TransformationDEI InitiativesChange ManagementHybrid LeadershipPsychological SafetyRemote Team DynamicsExecutive Coaching

    Research Topics

    LeadershipCultureChange ManagementOrganizational Development

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    Frequently asked questions

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.